Miller column: Stallions, Monarchs game would be fun to watch

By Chris Miller-Prep Sports Writer

Published: Friday, November 16, 2012 at 10:30 AM.

And to be honest, I really don’t know who would win between Southwest-Northside over the past four years.

Both teams have been typically strong in the regular season with the Stallions finding more success in the playoffs than the Monarchs. Southwest advanced to the 1-AA final in 2009, played in the East Regional final in 2010 and advanced to the third round in 2011.

Meanwhile, Northside advanced to the second round of the 2-AA playoffs in 2009, lost in the first round of the 2-AA playoffs in ’10 and last year played in the second round.

“Back in the day when we were a little good in the 80’s and 90’s and
Jacksonville
was real good, it was the same exact thing,” Padgett said. “I remember it to this day. And then we got into the new millennium when Northside got built and it became us and Northside.”

But the past is all a moot point.

Rather, I would be interested in seeing how the two teams stacked up against one another in a game and not a preseason scrimmage, particularly this season when the teams each took home conference titles and are a combined 24-1.

The Monarchs and Stallions scrimmaged each other the past two years, but that told us little about how the teams would fare against in a real game because Padgett and Northside coach Bob Eason didn’t open up their playbooks until the regular season.

In an ideal world, Northside and Southwest would have battled one another ever since the Stallions departed the East Central 2-A Conference for the Coastal Plains 1-A Conference in 2009.

Since then, the Monarchs and Stallions have been the two best teams in our area. Yet the debate of which team was better never was decided on the field because the two teams could not work out the same open date on their schedules for what could have been a game for area bragging rights.

“The thing is, it was a heated rivalry when we started playing them because they got so much better,” Southwest coach Phil Padgett said. “It became a daggone heated rivalry. It was almost too much. With that being said, it would have been great to play them. It just didn’t work out that way.”

The Monarchs and Stallions have not battled each other since Northside won at home 32-0 in an ECC game on Oct. 24, 2008 that featured a pair of undefeated teams. It was the final meeting of ECC rivals before SWO moved to the CPC.

“Of course, we are going to be playing them the next four years and for likely more,” said Padgett, whose school will rejoin the ECC next year.

Until then, it was left for fans on many of the high school football message boards to discus who would beat who and by how much. There has been more debate over this subject than perhaps talk about how Bowl Championship Series selects the two teams to play for the national title.

And to be honest, I really don’t know who would win between Southwest-Northside over the past four years.

Both teams have been typically strong in the regular season with the Stallions finding more success in the playoffs than the Monarchs. Southwest advanced to the 1-AA final in 2009, played in the East Regional final in 2010 and advanced to the third round in 2011.

Meanwhile, Northside advanced to the second round of the 2-AA playoffs in 2009, lost in the first round of the 2-AA playoffs in ’10 and last year played in the second round.

“Back in the day when we were a little good in the 80’s and 90’s and Jacksonville was real good, it was the same exact thing,” Padgett said. “I remember it to this day. And then we got into the new millennium when Northside got built and it became us and Northside.”

But the past is all a moot point.

Rather, I would be interested in seeing how the two teams stacked up against one another in a game and not a preseason scrimmage, particularly this season when the teams each took home conference titles and are a combined 24-1.

The Monarchs and Stallions scrimmaged each other the past two years, but that told us little about how the teams would fare against in a real game because Padgett and Northside coach Bob Eason didn’t open up their playbooks until the regular season.

“It was just a scrimmage and the intensity wasn’t there,” Padgett said.

Now both teams find themselves in the third round of the NCHSAA playoffs with the Monarchs (13-0) playing host to Bunn (10-2) and the Stallions entertaining Northampton (11-2) at The Corral.

And here’s a not-so-bold prediction: the team that advances the furthest in the playoffs will be the preseason favorite next year to win the ECC championship.

But until the Monarchs and Stallions finally meet in 2013, let the discussion continue on who rules OnslowCounty football.

Now for the panel

Sports page designer Mike Boaz remains the leader of The Daily News high school football forecasting panel at 87-15 after he went 4-0 last week.

I am now in second place at 82-20 after I also went 4-0. Kinston Free Press managing editor Bryan Hanks (2-2 last week) and JDN sports editor Rick Scoppe (4-0) are next at 81-21, followed by WCTI-12 news anchor Brian North (2-2) at 79-23 and Halifax regional desk chief Richard Clark (3-1) 76-26.

Note: in an effort to allow everyone else a chance of winning, there will be some bonus games to pick from this week.

This week’s games

Northampton (11-2) at Southwest (11-1)

Boaz boasts: SWO by 6

Clark cites: NH by 5

Hanks honks: SWO by 17

Miller mentions: SWO by 8

North notes: SWO by 3

Scoppe says: SWO by 7

Bunn (10-2) at Northside (13-0)

Boaz boasts: Bunn by 3

Clark cites: Bunn by 3

Hanks honks: NS by 17

Miller mentions: NS by 7

North notes: NS by 1

Scoppe says: NS by 3

Now for the bonus games:

Leesville Road (12-0) at Garner (13-0)

Boaz boasts: Garner by 6

Clark cites: LR by 6

Hanks honks: Garner by 3

Miller mentions: Garner by 3

North notes: Garner by 4

Scoppe says: Garner by 7

E.E. Smith (11-1) at Scotland (11-1)

Boaz boasts: Smith by 5

Clark cites: Scot by 7

Hanks honks: Scot by 6

Miller mentions: Scot by 5

North notes: Scot by 4

Scoppe says: Scot by 7

Jack Britt (11-1) at Richmond (11-1)

Boaz boasts: Rich by 6

Clark cites: Rich by 2

Hanks honks: Rich by 7

Miller mentions: Rich by 13

North notes: Rich by 4

Scoppe says: Rich by 5

Prep sports writer Chris Miller can be contacted by email at chris.miller@jdnews.com or by calling 910-219-8472.